Dan Briden takes a look at the William Hill Bill Turner Memorial EBF Brocklesby Stakes, the first two-year-old turf race of the campaign at Doncaster on Saturday.
The Flat season makes its long-awaited return this Saturday at Town Moor which also means we get a chance to see the first of the two-year-old crop on these shores.
This year’s Brocklesby has the usual mix of those by established and first-season sires. The latter category is represented by Caturra, Naval Crown and Persian Force (2).
Below is a look at this year’s field along with quotes from some of the connections of those involved.
Amo Racing has won two of the past four renewals and is doubly represented via their Irish-based Brazilian-born handler Robson De Aguiar, who supplied the second and third in Ireland’s first juvenile contest a fortnight ago.
First string on jockey bookings appears to be the Rowan Scott-ridden Blixen Force, a son of Amo’s own smart two-year-old and first-season sire Persian Force. He is a €110,000 purchase out of a twice-raced maiden sister to 2019 Brocklesby winner Show Me Show Me, so is quite clearly bred for the job. Stablemate Ocean Club cost €33,000 at auction and is another by Persian Force. His extended family includes top-level performers such as Coroebus and Thunder Snow.
Ralph Beckett saddles Jeff Smith’s homebred Dance A Jig, a son of first-season sire Naval Crown. He is a half-brother to several winners including 7f Group 3 winners Dancing Star and Foxtrot Lady. For all it’s a relatively fast family that traces back to Lochangel and Lochsong, it isn’t one noted for its precocity, so clearly Dance A Jig has been offering the right signs at home. Beckett would have more than most at home to test his early juveniles against.
Richard Fahey is no stranger to success in this race, winning the 2007, 2010 and 2019 renewals, and he will be joined by son Peter on the licence for the 2026 season. They send out Arrbob, a 28,000gns Ardad colt out of a full sister to smart speedster Strath Burn.
The late Bill Turner was synonymous with this race - winning it six times and having the race named in his honour this year. His daughter Kathy sends out the aptly-named Nevernotrememberu, a typically cheap purchase at 2,000gns who is the only filly in the race (father Bill won with the 2008 edition with a filly, Sally’s Dilemma) and first-season sire Caturra’s first representative. There will hardly have been a more popular winner of the race should Nevernotrememberu land the spoils.
A less familiar presence in the race is the stable of Gary and Josh Moore, who have enjoyed a fine season over jumps. The Sussex-based team rely upon Seathegulls, a 27,000gns purchase who is a Twilight Son half-brother to three winners, none of whom did so at two. However, there are some smart juvenile performers on the page, namely Albany Stakes winners Nijoom Dubai and Samitar.
Richard Hannon’s two victories in this contest came in conjunction with Amo and, like them, is double handed in his quest for a third Brocklesby. A Bear Affair is a 68,000gns Kodi Bear colt who is the first foal of a 5-7f 2yo winner who later placed at Grade 2 level in North America. Although not overly precocious herself, the dam was a half-sister to Marygate Stakes runner-up Neola and herself the daughter of a third in that race who filled the same spot in the National Stakes at Sandown.
The second Hannon representative and apparent second string on jockey bookings is the Middleham Park-owned The Kalonji Man. He is a 10,000gns son of Belardo half-sister to a handful of winners including one or two sharp types, while his dam counted Queen Mary Stakes winners Romantic Myth and Romantic Liaison among her siblings. He’s very much bred to be a precocious sort.
Adrian Keatley enjoyed a fruitful 2025 with his two-year-old team, the headline acts being Marygate winner Secret Hideaway and Roseberry Stakes victor Chairmanfourtimes. The latter is a son of Nando Parrado owned by Andy Finneran and connections will be hoping Boutblimmintime can repeat some of that success this time around. By the same sire, he is a £32,000 yearling purchase from a good family that includes Windsor Castle Stakes winner Tactical.
Adam Kirby recently sent out his first runner and winner as a licence holder and his first two-year-old runner here certainly looks a sharp type on pedigree. Bill The Bull is a 17,000gns yearling by Coulsty and a half-brother to several winners including Jungle Inthebungle, who made a winning debut at two as early as April 3. Indeed, one of his siblings actually debuted in the 2022 renewal of this race, making little impact there but going on to win three times that year. His mother was also a precocious individual, winning at the Craven meeting second time out.
Dylan Cunha won the 2024 running of this race and sends out Step To Glory this time around. He is a 15,000gns Cotai Glory colt who is the first foal of an unraced half-sister to 5f Group 3 winner Hurricane Ivor, while the extended family includes high-class performers such as Birchwood, Prince Sabo and Rumble Inthejungle.
While Tony Coyle and Kaine Wood wouldn’t usually be associated with two-year-old winners, Regal Gem showed they can certainly get one ready if good enough. Their runner here is Rlasthope, a gelded son of Rajasinghe out of a mare who finished fifth in the 2014 renewal of this race while her half-sister went close on debut as a two-year-old as early as March over in France. Bonnie Charlie is another sharp two-year-old to feature on the page.
QUOTES
Charlie Sutton, racing analyst for Amo Racing - Blixen Force and Ocean Club
“Both are runners are by our first-season sire Persian Force, whose first runner went very close in Ireland’s opening two-year-old race a couple of weeks ago. Blixen Force is by a Brocklesby winner and out of a sister to one, so it made sense to come here. He has always shown us that he is natural and speedy enough for this to have been the plan for a while. Ocean Club has more stamina on the dam’s side, but he’s showing all the right signs and can hopefully run a nice race.”
Ralph Beckett, trainer of Dance A Jig
“He is a forward sort with the right pedigree for the task.”
Adrian Keatley, trainer of Boutblimmintime
“He is a very forward colt with an excellent temperament who has taken everything in his stride. He is a really nice horse who we think will be earning plenty of money throughout the season.”
Adam Kirby, trainer of Bill The Bull
“A precocious colt who has trained well. Nobody knows how good their two-year-olds are yet until they’ve had a race. I’ve taught him as much as I can without overcooking him - over to him now!”
Richard Fahey, joint-trainer of Arrbob
“He’s not really your typical Brocklesby horse, but he’s ready to start out and we’re happy to run him. He might not be as tuned up as one or two of these and I would be surprised but delighted if he won. He’ll learn plenty from it.”
Dylan Cunha, trainer of Step To Glory
“He has done a lot of work and is probably smarter than our two previous Brocklesby runners, but he wouldn’t be quite as mentally ready as either of them. It will come down to how green he is in the race - he will be right there if he’s able to sit up with them and keep straight off the bridle. A really nice horse whatever happens here.”
Tim Palin, owner representative for Middleham Park - The Kalonji Man
“He goes quite well at home and I think he’s going to give the owners plenty of fun throughout the season. I know Richard likes his other one (A Bear Affair), but Tyrese Cameron gets on well with our lad at home. We’re hoping for a solid first run that can give us something to build on for the future.”
Josh Moore, joint-trainer of Seathegull
“A nice little two-year-old who has done plenty at home. He went well in a barrier trial the other day and gained some valuable experience in the process.”
Tony Coyle, joint-trainer of Rlasthope
“A straightforward horse who does everything right. He has been away for a racecourse gallop and comes into this pretty straight. He’ll handle the ground and we’re hopeful of a big run from him.”
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